All About Sourdough starter
Your complete guide to sourdough starter - discover how to store it properly, identify when it's gone bad, and find the best substitutes for your recipes.
How Long Does Sourdough starter Last?
Storage times and freshness tips for sourdough starter in different conditions.
Safety first: This guide provides general information. When in doubt, throw it out! Trust your senses and err on the side of caution. If something smells, looks, or tastes off, don't consume it.
Active at Room Temperature (Countertop)12-24 hours after feeding, up to 2-3 days without feeding (becomes very hungry)
Signs of Spoilage
Strong, unpleasant, acetone-like (nail polish remover) smell; pink, orange, or green mold; dark streaks; liquid (hooch) turning pink, orange, or green; complete lack of activity/bubbles after feeding.
How to Check
Smell test: Should smell pleasantly yeasty, slightly sour, or like ripe fruit/beer. A strong, acrid, acetone, or rotten smell indicates spoilage. Visual inspection: Look for bubbles after feeding. Any fuzzy mold or unusual discoloration (pink, orange, green, black streaks) means it's bad. Dark hooch is normal, but if it's colored other than dark brown/black, discard.
Storage Tips
Keep loosely covered (e.g., with a lid, plastic wrap, or cloth) to allow air exchange while preventing contaminants. Feed regularly (e.g., 1:1:1 starter:water:flour ratio) to maintain activity and prevent over-fermentation. Discard a portion before each feeding to maintain a manageable quantity and refresh the culture.
Inactive in Refrigerator (Maintenance)1-4 weeks (can sometimes go longer, but activity might decline)
Signs of Spoilage
Fuzzy mold (pink, orange, green, black spots) on the surface or sides; very strong, rotten, or putrid smell; hooch that is pink or orange.
How to Check
Visual inspection: Look for any fuzzy, colored mold. Dark hooch (brown or black liquid on top) is normal and can be poured off or stirred in. Pink or orange hooch is a sign of contamination. Smell test: May have a strong alcoholic or very sour smell due to accumulated hooch, but should not smell rotten, putrid, or like strong nail polish remover. Revival test: After removing from the fridge, discard most, feed it a couple of times at room temperature. It should become active and bubbly within 4-12 hours. If it doesn't revive after 2-3 feedings, it may be too far gone.
Storage Tips
Store in a clean jar with an airtight or loosely fitting lid. Feed your starter well before refrigerating it. When ready to bake, remove from the fridge, discard most, and feed it 1-3 times at room temperature to revive its activity before use. This method 'pauses' the starter's activity.
Dried (Long-term Storage)6-12 months, potentially several years if stored properly
Signs of Spoilage
Mold growth on the dried flakes; rancid, musty, or unpleasant smell.
How to Check
Visual inspection: Dried starter should be brittle flakes, typically off-white to light brown. Any fuzzy mold or unusual discoloration indicates spoilage. Smell test: Should have a very faint, pleasant, slightly sour, dry smell. A strong, unpleasant, or musty odor is a red flag.
Storage Tips
To dry: spread a thin layer of active starter on parchment paper or a silicone mat and let it air dry completely until brittle. Break into flakes and store in an airtight container (e.g., glass jar, vacuum-sealed bag) in a cool, dark, dry place. To revive: soak flakes in a small amount of warm water for a few hours, then gradually feed with flour and water at room temperature until active again.
Frozen (Long-term Storage)3-6 months (can be longer, but viability may decrease)
Signs of Spoilage
Mold growth (if not sealed properly before freezing); strong, unpleasant odors upon thawing (indicating contamination prior to freezing); inability to revive after thawing and feeding.
How to Check
Visual inspection: Should look like frozen starter. No mold. The primary sign of spoilage or non-viability will be its inability to revive and become active after thawing and several feedings. Smell test: Upon thawing, it should smell mildly sour or yeasty; any rotten or putrid smell indicates it was already bad or became contaminated.
Storage Tips
Store in an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator, then discard most of the thawed starter. Feed it several times at room temperature over 1-3 days to revive its activity before use. Freezing can stress the yeast and bacteria, so revival may take more time and patience compared to a refrigerated or dried starter.